Motor fuel



Patented Dec. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOTOR FUEL Delaware No Drawing. Application July 16, 1932, Serial No. 628,010

2 Claims. (CL 44-9) This invention relates to improvements in motor fuels and has to do particularly with the provision in motor fuels, such as cracked gasoline, of a gum inhibitor or anti-oxidant to sta- 5 bilize the fuel and to prevent discoloration, gum

formation and loss in anti-knock property.

Motor fuel hydrocarbons, such as cracked gasolines, naphthas or benzenes are often unstable in the presence of light and air and on standing tend to darken in color and to form gummy and resinous substances which decrease the antiknock value and other burning properties and in general impair the quality of the product. An effective and efficient means of stabilizing the fuel is to incorporate therein a small quantity of an antioxidant or inhibitor which functions catalytically to prevent reactions, chiefly autoxidation in nature, that produce undesirable products.

In accordance with the inventionwe add to the hydrocarbons to be treated a small amount of an organic compound of the benzenoid or substituted benzenoid type. We have found that diamino, dihydroxy and aminohydroxy compounds which are adapted to readily form a quinold structure on oxidation are effective inhibitors. We have found, also, that the substituted compounds of the type having at least one substance from the group comprising alkyl, aryl,

halogen and nitro radicals are desirable in that they often increase the effectiveness of the compound and usually increase the solubility of the compound in the hydrocarbons and decrease the solubility thereof in water, a property which is particularly advantageous.

The compounds of the benzenoid type contemplated for use, according to the invention, may be derivatives of benzol in which only one benzene ring is present. Or they may contain condensed benzene nuclei, such as naphthalene or anthracene. In the case of benzene derivatives, those compounds capable of readily forming the quinoid structure on oxidation preferably contain either two amino, two hydroxy, or one amino and one hydroxy radical in the ortho or para position. There may, of course, be other amino or hydroxy radicals present also. In addition to the amino or hydroxy radicals, we prefer to have present in the compounds one or more substances selected from the group comprising chlorine, bromine, nitro, alkyl or aryl radicals.

The compounds of condensed benzene nuclei, such as naphthalene and anthracene, may also contain any number of amino and hydroxy radi- 66 cals. In the case of naphthalene, for instance,

such compounds are satisfactory as long as two of the amino or hydroxy radicals are in the 1,2 or 1,4 position or in some other position capable of readily forming a quinoid structure, say in the 2,6 position. Compounds of this type suitable 5 for our purpose may include 1,2 and 1,4 and 2,6 dihydroxy-, diaminoor aminohydroxy-naphthalene. We may also use derivatives of these compounds in which there may be present, in addition to the amino and hydroxy radicals, one 10 or more substances from the group comprising chlorine, bromine, nitro, alkyl or aryl radicals.

As to the anthracene derivatives, we contemplate, according to the invention, to use any amino or hydroxy derivatives capable of readily 15 forming a quinoid structure. We specify for this purpose the mono substituted compounds, such as monoamino or monohydroxy, for example, anthranol; l-hydroxy or 2-hydroxy anthracene; l-amino or 2-amino anthracene; the di substi- 20 tuted compounds, such as 1,2; 1,4; 2,6; 9,10; 1,8; or 2,7 diamino-, dihydroxy-, or amino hydroxy anthracenes; or other soluble hydroiw or amino derivatives. It is to be understood that in the case of the anthracene derivatives also, 25 we may have one or more substituted groups from the class comprising chlorine, bromine, nitro, alkyl or aryl radicals.

We have also found that it is often advantageous to substitute one or more radicals from 30 the group comprising chlorine, bromine, nitro, alkyl or aryl, into monohydroxy or monoamino naphthalenes, such as alphaor beta-naphthol or alphaor beta-naphthylamine, and these compounds are contemplated within the scope of the 35 invention.

In practicing the invention, we add a suitable amount of the inhibitor to prevent substantial formation of gum when the fuel is evaporated and to stabilize the fuel against alterations in 40 color and anti-knock property on standing. Usually about 0.005% to 0.05% is suificient and preferably a quantity near 0.01% by weight of the mixture. In the case of diificultly soluble materials it is desirable to dissolve the inhibitor in 45 mg. of gum per 100 ml. on evaporation was added about 0.01% of 4-chlor-2-amino-phenol and the I gum'on evaporation was reduced to 10 mg. per

100 'mL The foregoing evaporation tests were made according to Bureaujoi Mines IMethod 530.1-Corrosidn test (co per dish). 7

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention, as hereinbefore set forth, may

be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. and therefore only .such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims. r

We claim: r r

1.. A cracked hydrocarbon distillate of the class of gasoline and kerosene normally tending to deteriorate and form'gum on storage and containing monochlorhydroquinone in sufllcient amount to retard such deterioration and gum formation.

2. The method: of inhibiting gum formation in cracked hydrocarbon distillates of thefclass of gasoline and kerosene which comprises incorporating into the distillate monochlorhydroquin- 10 LOUIS A. CLARKE.

[CHARLES C. TOWNE. 15 

